Saturday, March 28, 2009

Koi

I painted "Koi" last summer after doing an art show at the Pagoda in Norfolk. They have a large pond filled with Koi and it inspired me to do the painting. I have always been fascinated with them. I tried a fairly new technique. I "poured" the watercolor paint in the background. This consists of mixing up some liquid watercolors and literally pouring them on to the paper. I then lift the board that the paper is taped to and move it around in different directions. (Sometimes I cheat and take my large round watercolor brush and move the paint.) Then I painted the fish with fluid acrylics. This was tricky because I could not take off any paint that went where it wasn't supposed to.

When I painted this painting it was pretty amazing. I remember it being a very freeing experience. I moved through it so quickly and it was as if the painting was trying to paint itself.


I am very proud of this painting and have received wonderful feedback for it. I put it in the 17th Street Art Festival last year and a couple commissioned me to do it as larger painting (even though this one is 20" X 28".) Just recently I put it in the Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists 1st on-line Art Show and it won best in show!!!
Please feel free to send comments on this painting and any new ones that I post.

3 comments:

Jacquelinebeaulincoln said...

Fascinating painting. You can't take your eyes off of it. It almost appears to move. Thanks for sharing it and inviting us to your blog, Kathy!

Daria Hlazatova said...

this is very beautiful!

Shego67 + Sam said...

Do you teach any children's classes? Your work is gorgeous!